Rotary toroidal chamber type hydraulic coupling and control therefor



Oct- 12, 1954 Y c. A. CHAMBER-LAW 2.691.269

y ROTARY. TOROIDAL CHAMBER TYPE HYDRAULIC v l COUPLING AND CONTROLTHEREFOR Flled March 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l (M/m Kamin/afl@ Oct. 12,1954 c. A. CHAMBERLAIN 2.691.269

ROTARY. TOROIDAL CHAMBER TYPE HYDRAULIC COUPLING AND CONTROL THEREF'ORFiled March 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VEN TOR CCL 12, 1954 c. A.CHAMBERLAIN 2.691.269

ROTARY. TOROIDAL CHAMBER TYPE HYDRAULIC COUPLING AND CONTROL THEREFORFiled March 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nu 2 ff IN VEN TOR.

[i/iwi [Zufuhr/aim Patented ct. 12', 1.954

OFFICE ROTARY TORIOIDAL CHAMBER TYPE HY- DRAULIC COUPLING AND CONTROLTHEREFOR Carlton A. Chamberlain,

Dresser poration of California Application March 20, 1953, Serial No.343,638

(Cl. (l0- 54) 7 Claims. l

This invention relates to torque transmitting means and is particularlydirected to a torque transmitting means including a hydraulicallyloadable coupling together with automatic control means for renderingthe coupling capable of transmitting torque in but one direction.

One-way drives with hydraulically loadable couplings linking a drivingmember with a driven member are known to the art, but the prior art hasnot solved the problem of releasing the coupling or clutch, whendesired, with a simple lowinertia mechanism. For example, Patent2,521,117 to Du Bois et al. shows a hydraulic coupling released by alost motion arrangement which blocks oil flow to the coupling but onlywhen the driven shaft begins to rotate more rapidly than the drivingshaft, while Patent 1,938,357 to Sinclair shows a Fttinger coupling inwhich a counter-pressure pump with gradually increasing force opposesiiow of liquid into the coupling as the driven shaft independentlybegins to rotate more and more rapidly.

One object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic coupling with anovel release means for emptying the coupling when one of the coupledmembers begins to rotate faster than the other coupled member. y

A further object comprises means for releasing a hydraulic coupling at adesired ratio of the speeds of the input and output shafts.

Generally speaking, this invention comprises the conventional structureof a hydraulic coupling connecting driven and driving shafts andprovided with an oil supply which is admitted to the coupling throughone of the shafts and which drains from the coupling through openings inits casing, together with the improvement of a control mechanism mountedon one of the shafts, the control mechanism acting to open or close theflow of oil to the coupling when the driving shaft is rotating faster orslower, respectively, than the driven shaft. Advantageously, the controlmechanism has a slide valve and a pump which circulates the oil in onedirection to open the slide valve for flow of oil to the coupling and inthe opposite direction to close the slide valve, thereby stopping theflow of oil to the coupling. The pump housing is arranged to rotate withone of the two shafts connected to the hydraulic coupling while the pumprotor rotates with the other shaft. Thus, when the pump housing rotatesfaster than its rotor, the slide valve is caused to move toward one ofits terminal positions, whereas when the rotor rotates faster than thehousing, the slide valve is forced toward its opposite terminalposition,

Olean, N. Y., assigner to Operations, Inc., Olean, N. Y., a cor-Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation taken through the axis of atransmission embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged View of the right hand end of Figure 1 Figure 3is a plan view of cylindrical body 26 removed from the assembly ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of body 26 taken along the line 4-4 ofFigure 2;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the use of the transmission ofthis invention with a turbo-supercharger of a two-cycle reciprocatinggas engine; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional View 0f pump rotor I8 taken along theline G--S of Figure 1.

Conventional hydraulic coupling I0 comprises a chamber I2 bounded byrotatable coupling member It. Inside chamber I2 is the other rotatablecoupling member I6, both members I 4 and I6 having the usual sets ofvanes I8 extending n into chamber I2 by which torque may be transmittedbetween members I4 and I6 when chamber I2 is lled with a suitablecoupling liquid. Hydraulic coupling member I 4 is bolted or other- Wisesecured to shaft 20 while coupling member I6 is secured to shaft 22.With the construction so far described, when coup-ling chamber I2 isfull of liquid, torque may be transmitted therethrough from shaft 20 toshaft 22 or in the reverse direction.

Liquid is supplied to coupling IB through central channel 2| of hollowshaft 20 and is removed from coupling IU through a plurality ofperipherally spaced radial openings 24 in coupling member I4; excessliquid may overflow through central relief opening 25. Advantageously,the number of radial openings 24 and their size is correlated to providea drainage rate approximately equal to one-half the rate at whichcoupling liquid is supplied through channel 2I of hollow shaft 20, theexcess liquid draining out of relief opening 25.

The coupling liquid is supplied to channel 2l of shaft 20 through aplurality of radial openings 35 in hollow shaft 20 which advantageouslyare alinged with peripheral groove 34 in the inner surface of bearing30. Coupling liquid is fed through tap 32 which pierces `bearing 3B andcommunicates with groove 34.

Interposed between liquid inlet openings 36 and channel 2| of hollowshaft 20 is control mechanism 23 which advantageously is inserted intothe open end of hollow shaft 20 and secured thereto by one or more setscrews 3 I.

Control mechanism 23 has an outer hollow cylindrical body 26 with anintegral flange 28 that seats against the end of hollow shaft 28, and aninner hollow cylindrical body 38 with an integral iiange 40 that seatsagainst flange 28. Flange 40 has a shoulder 4l that fits snuglyagainstinner isurfaceio cylindrical body and thus maintains an annularspace 42 between the inner surface of cylindrical body 26 and the outersurface of cylindrical body 38. A drilled passage 44 extends fromthe-outer face offlange 2B through cylindrical body.2l5-y parallelfto4the axis thereof to radial hole 46. Radial hole 68 intersects passage 44at a point intermediate the ends thereof. A shorter drilledpassage 56;spaced 180 from passage 44, extends' from the outer face of flange 28through cylindrical body 25 parallel to its axis to slot 52 inthe'outersurface of body 26. The end of slot 52 communicating With passage 5Dalso communicates With radial hole 54 while the opposite end meetslarger radial hole 56. Two other like slotsl 52y and radial holes 56 arespaced 120 from lthe'i'lrst mentioned slot 52 and radial hole-56 andfrom each other. in line with passage 44 is a slot 58 in the outersurface-of body 26, starting at the vendopposite flange 23 and ending inradial hole-26). l-Two other like slots and holes G are spaced 120" fromthe first-mentioned slot 58 and hole Gil and from each other.

A cylindrical ring 62-is positioned to slide freely-in annular space 22.-A coil spring 64 is dis- -posed'between shoulder l-of body 3e andperforated -washer 56 bearing against shoulder Gl on the inner surfaceof body 25. .Another coil spring lis lis held at the opposite end oiannular space42 betiveenperiorated Washer 7! retained by shoulder llofbod'y''and spacer ring 'l2 that is bolted to body' 26 and thus maintainsthe free ends of bodies' 25- andl 3B `in concentrically spaced relation.

f Mounted inthe external end of control mechanism 23 is an internal gearpump. -The pump housingf-isiprovided by thelangedend 40 ofI cylindricalbod.y="i,l spacer ring'l' and terminal plate all .bolted `tightlytogether and to ilange 28 of Vbody-25. l Pump `rotorili-'is-disposed torotate' freely inrthis-housing when'there-isl relative rotation:betweenits shaft and the rest of control Vnle'chanisin 23. `Shaft; Silofthe vinternal gear. :pump is connected through` rubber coupling 82with shaft 22. Thus, rotation of shaft 22 causes .rotation of shaft85i-andpuniprotor i8, While .the remainder of controlimeohanism 23including the .'piunphousing rotates :with h'ollow shaft 2B.

The elements within rotor'- 'ifof the internal gear: pump are shown inFigure-6. "The-teeth of idler Se mesh `with the slots of rotor i8 andcontact the fixed crescentll2. Idler' {iB-is provided with, bushing il!!and rotates onstationary shaft 95 which, like crescent 92', is-attachedtoterniinal plate 16.

When power is applied to driving shaft .2E through its geared-,c-ouplingrmember lill-and all of control'mechanism 23 except pumprotor 28 and shaft lillwill rotate therewith.' 'Duringstartup,`drivenishaft: 221 and its associated coupling member als, rubber.coupling; 82,-shaft' 3l) and pump rotor IB` will slip and consequentlyrotate at a lower speed than v'driving Lshaft. Oil pumped through tap 32intogroovel34' passes through holes 36 inshaft-2'into-slots52 incylindrical body y26. "With the driving shaft" 25 overrunning drivenshaft'22, the relativel rotation between'the' pump. housingandvrotormilt l forces oil from passage t4 and an aligned pas'-l sage 42ain flange it and housing space 86 into housing space 83, passage 5de inilange 40 and aligned passage 5l) of body 25. The pumping efected Withincontrol mechanism 23 causes cylindrical ring1l2l to move toward theright as shown in Figure l. With ring 52 in this position, the oil nowows from slots 52 through holes 55, annular space 42, holes ii, slots 53and channel ivinto vcouplingrnernloer I4. The oil drainsfrom''coupling.member It by Way of holes 24 but at a lesser rate than itis entering; therefore, coupling member, lev is soon filled with oil tothe point that excess oil overflows at opening 25.

.norderto avoid building up an excessive pressure diilerential aci ossthe gear pump, ring E2 is Vpern'iitted to` over-travel, after uncoveringholes 56 and. 6d, by compressing spring 64 so that relief hole #l5 isuncovered and oil is admitted into passage i4 to relieve the suctiontherein.

Asthe slip of driven shaft 22 decreases to yzero, i.e.,-'shafts' 2liand1-22=rotate atthe same speed, theiow of oil in passages' v24 and 5i)stops,- equalizing the pressure on the ends ofV ring 62. v-Spring 54then causes ring 52 to'cover relief'holell. when driven yshaftV 22rotatesfaster than; driving shaft the relativemotion of thepumphousingand rotor 7S isthe reverse oi'whatitfwas during the start-upwith the result -thatoil'is now pumped from passage 50'to passage t4.Ring E32 is thus forced-tothe left until it covers holes and` dtherebystopping the supply offoil'to the hydraulic coupling. Under thesecircumstances, the oil quickly'drains fromf-coupling member lll.Pressure on theright end'ofl` ring G2 causes ring 52 to over-travelagainst' spring 584 and uncover relief hole 54; thus relieving 'thepressurebehind ring' 62.

It -is well to note that 'Figure' l shows 'the'iposition of ring 52whenvdriving shaft'2 is Arotating faster thanfdriven-'shaft 22,-ivhereas the-po sition of ring 52 when fthe# driven shaft-Y 22iserntating faster than 'driving shaft 20 is shown in Figure 2.

VTBy appropriate arrangement of fsprings-` 64 land @iL controlmechanism" 23-may doe actuated at the the instant that the shafts2B-and'- 22-Vary from synchronous speeds. iIn the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in thefclrawings, :the expanding motion-ofsspringf lB4 is constrained byY perforated washer 156 i whenit-foontacts shouldent? :on 'the inner surf-ace -of cylindrical body 2dand,`li-lreWise-, perforated -vv-asher 1D and shoulder: 'l l' .limittheexpansion of springf. "Thus, the -niotion of springs Stv 'and 8 Jis'restricted 'to thaty portion ofv lthe `travel` ofy iring 52 referredtoasfovertravel. LAS already-explained, overtravel of ring 52feifectsthe'undercovering olf-relief opening-..28 Figure l) when'fshaft2li is rotatingfaster than-.shaft 22 and the' uncovering ofreliefopeningfil '(Figure 2) r-vvhen the rotational speed of shaft-22o-vertakesthat 'of shaftel 2G. l In'thisarrangement; the openingorclosing of holes 52 by the: movement ofring Gais-'independent ofspringsE54 'andflS so thatnorhydraulicfeiort Vis'needed to move ring-52. f'Conseourently;l at fthe 'slightest reversal indirection of torque`transznission;ring G2rwill start-tomove andthe vrate .of'relativemotion of -`thetwo*shafts will affect onlyjthe' time interval forcompleting "the jopenng. or closing of holes GEB.

On 'the other hand,if ,springs .t4-anch 68 `,are arranged to hear..directly. against the: endsof ring 52vand hence exert forcesonring'throughout its entire travel, control mechanism-23:;may

be actuated at any desired relative rotation of the two shafts byappropriate selection of the spring rates. If spring 68 is the stronger,then holes Sii remain open when shaft 22 rotates faster than shaft 20until the internal gear pump develops enough counteracting hydraulicpressure to compress spring 58. If spring 64 is the stronger, thesituation is reversed and ring B2 will close holes i5@ before therotational speed of shaft 22 equals that of shaft 29. Here again theabsolute stiffness of both springs determines the sensitivity of ring 62to actuation at the desired relative speed.

Another factor determinatiye of operational sensitivity lies in ring 62itself. The area of the end faces of ring S2 which are subject tohydraulic pressure determines the total force available for moving ring62. It is well to note that ring 62 is subjected to pressure at one endand a simultaneous Vacuum at the other end; thereby, the entire pressuredifference exerted by the gear pump is brought to bear on ring 62.Accordingly, the pressure-suction characteristics of the selected pumpis another factor determinative of operational sensitivity.

The ability to preset the operational characteristics of controlmechanism 23 is of more than academic interest. The transmissionillustrated in `Figures 1 to 4 may, for example, be used as a speedgoverning device. In such case, shaft 20 will be driving shaft 22 andspring Eli will be stronger than spring B8. Then, so long as there issuicient load on shaft 22 to result in a marked slippage of members I4and i@ of hydraulic coupling it, the two shafts will rotate atsufficiently dierent rates to enable the gear pump to force ring 62 backagainst spring 6d thereby leaving holes Se open for flow of oil tocoupling li). When the load on shaft 22 decreases so will the slippagein coupling i0, and consequently shaft 22 will more nearly approach therotational rate of shaft 20. At a predetermined point of approach, thepressure forces exerted by the pump will be less than the strength ofspring 6d so that ring 62 will slip leftwards and close holes 60 therebycutting off the oil supply to coupling I0. Coupling I will then empty atleast partially. Shaft 22 perforce will slow down until the reversesequence of events takes place. The relationship of the governed speedto the input speed of shaft 20 may be any desired ratio, e. g., 85%,depending on the strength of spring 64 and the pressure characteristicsof the gear pump.

Then again, the transmission of this invention may be used as a loadlimiter to cause declutching when the load exceeds a certain amount. Forthis application, shaft 22 will drive shaft 20 and spring 68 will bestronger than spring 64. So long as the load on shaft 20 is not enoughto cause material slippage in coupling I0, e. g., less than 10%, spring68 is strong enough to keep holes 6I) open against the pressure exertedby the gear pump on ring 62. Any increase in load resulting in amaterial increase in slippage in coupling I il and consequent decreasein speed of shaft 20 causes the pump to exert a pressure greater thanthe resistance limit of spring 68. Ring 62 will move to the left,blocking holes 6b to the iiow of oil, causing coupling I 0 to empty andthereby declutching shafts 20 and 22. The exact declutching pointdepends, of course, on the strength of spring 68 and the pressurecharacteristics of the pump.

This transmission, used as an overrunning fluid clutch, is illustratedin Figure in connection with a turbo-supercharger of an internal com--ficient in usable heat energy,

bustion engine. Gear 8b! is mounted on shaft 20 and gear |02 on shaft22. Gear 84 is connected through gear IM to crankshaft I06 of atwo-cycle reciprocating gas engine. Part of the engine, a cylinder H0and piston IESS, is illustrated in relation to the turbo-supercharger.Shaft 22 with its gear E02 is connected through gear It to the commonshaft Hd of turbine IIE and compressor H8.

In starting up the engine, power is applied from crankshaft It throughgears I0@ and 'ei-t to shaft 20. The rotation of shaft 2t operates thegear pump of control mechanism 23 which forces ring E52 to the right(Figure l). Holes t0 are thus open for oii flow to hydraulic couplingi0. A full hydraulic coupling lil transmits torque from shaft 2Q toshaft 22 causing the latter to rotate and, in turn, gears H32 and I E2and shaft I I4. Compresser l It mounted on shaft lis draws air throughinlet I20, compresses it and forces it through iine I2!! for combustionin power cylinder II of the engine. Hot combustion gases issue fromcylinder H0, fiow through line i213, expand in turbine i I6 and exitthrough outlet 26.

As the internal combustion engine load is increased and the exhausttemperature rises, the power available from turbine t E 6 will buiid upto the point where it will cause rotation of compressor I I 3 at a rategreater than is provided by gear I I 2. This means a complete reversalof torqueon the entire supercharger drive mechanism and, due to the slipof the hydraulic coupling if), reverses the relative rotation of shafts20 and 22. This reversal, as explained hereinbefore, causes the gearpump to move ring 52 to the left (Figure 2), thereby stopping the oilsupply to hydraulic coupling I0. Coupling iii empties, allowing shaft 22to free-wheel to the speed dictated by turbine I I5.

In a specific installation in which a normally constant speed internalcombustion engine is involved, shaft 2i! drives shafts 22 and i IIIuntil the turbine-compressor shaft I Iii achieves about 6700 revolutionsper minute. When the brake mean effective pressure of the engine reachesapproximately 60 pounds per square inch, the usable heat energy in theexhaust gases expanding in turbine I I6 is suiiicient to reverse thetorque. Thereupon the supply of oil to coupling I0 is stopped and shaft22 free-wheels. In this installation, control mechanism 23 is actuatedby Tuthill pump CSA-i which is of the internal gear type.

During operation at low engine loads, e. g., idling, when the exhaustgases are relatively dethe torque provided by turbine Ht to shaft IHSdeclines to the point where the clutch again engages and crankshaft Itprovides needed power to compressor IIB.

In view of the various modifications of the invention which will occurto those skilled in the art upon consideration of the foregoingdisclosure without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, only suchlimitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An overrunning fluid driving shaft, a driven shaft, positioned toprovide a tween the two said shafts,

drive comprising a a hydraulic coupling driving connection besaidhydraulic coupling having invariable means for draining liquid therefromat a lower rate than the maximum rate at which liquid can dow to saidhydraulic coupling, a passageway in one of the two said shafts for theflow of liquid to said coupling, a pump housing connected to one of saidshafts and rotatable therewith, a pump rotor disposed in said housingand connected to the other of said shafts for ro- .tatientherewith,A andvalve means associatedwith vsaid:passagewayand actuated by the .pump-inspressure. developed by the irelativerotation of .said housing` and:said- .rotor -to-` open ithej .flow ofdsaid liquid Ithroughksaidzpassagewaywhen said driv- 'ingb shaft rotates faster thanu saididriv.enf.f'shaft and to stop the-iiow Vof :said liquidi-when ,saiddriven shaft/rotates fasterthan said driving shaft.

2. An overrunning fluid drive comprising ia driving shaft, a' drivenshaft,4 a hydrauliccoupling positioned tao-provide a drivingkconnection'-.be tween the two said shaftsysaid hydraulic .couplinghaving invariable means for draining liquid therefrom-atalower rateAthan vthe maximum rate at which'liquid canflow to saidhydraulicucoupling, a passageway in said .driving shaft for supplyingliquid to said coupling, apump housing connected to. said driving shaftand rotatable therewith,.a purnprotor. disposed in said `housing andconnected to said driven'shaft for trotationtherewith, and valvemeans insaid-passageway actuated by the pumping pressure developed byftherelative rotation of said housing and` said rotor to open the iiowof-Sa-id'iiquidvthrough said passageway when said driving shaft rotatesyfaster than said driven shaft and to-.stop the flowuof isaidkliquidwhen -said driven shaft lrotates 4faster than said driving shaft.

13; The `overrunning *fluid/drive of claim 2 whereinthe pump' housingand rotorareof the Y internal gear type.

4." The overrunning fluid drive of claim 2 wherein the valve meanscomprisesl a ring member disposed in concentric and axiallywmovablerelation to said driving shaft.

' 5. An overrunning-iiuid drive comprising ahollowl shaft and the casingof a hydraulic coupling attached to an end ofsaid hollow shaft, saidcasing being perforated for'-thedrainage of liquid therefrom at a lowerrate, than themaximum rate at whchliqu-id :can owitof saidcasing;kassecond shaftK and .the .rotor of-saidihydraulic Acouplingattachedftoisaid secondshafm a gear pump having its-,casingmounted-forrotationA with ysaid hollow shaft andgits rotor shaft vconnected by aflexible couplingzwithsaidisecond shaft, said iiexible couplingIbeingpositioned concentrically in said hollowfshaft',zmeans' forintroducing liquid intosaid hollowishaft,v and` arr-,annular valvemechanism disposedzin said hollow shaftvto control the introductiony of'liquid-into said hollow shaft and actuatedbythe. pumping :pressuredeveloped with said pump by the relative rotation of saidihollow shaft:andsaid. secondfshaft.

diaz-variable transmission betweenfirst and second shafts :comprising:the casingof hydraulic coupling .attached to onezof. said shafts, -saidcasing being perforated .for the' drainage of -liquid therefrom at. alower rateLthan the maximum ,rate at'whichdiquidcan flow .to saidcasing, the rotor ofssaid hydraulic coupling attached 4to 'the other of.Said ishafts; as passageway throughfone vofvsaid shafts for supplying'liquidato said hydraulic coupling, valvemeans to control rthe iiiow ofliquid in said passageway, and a pump, the'housing of whichrotatesywith.oneiofi-said shafts and the rotor lofuwhich` rotates `with theother of said sha/fissato exert `pumping. pressure on said valve meansto actuate the same in response to the relative rotation-ofl saidsha-its.

r7.1 The variable transmission of claim 6 wherein :thezpuirniv is. ofrthe internal gear type.

"Heferenees'Citedin-the le of this patent x,UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,018,616 1Martyrer Oct; 22,' 1935 K.2.;379gi'74 MillerJune-26,A 1945 2,521,ii7 HDuBois et al -Sept. 5, 1950

